Chapter 140: Rune Carving

Chapter 140: Rune Carving

"Now, this is where the real fun begins!" Gregory said excitedly.

Some tools, ranging from farming implements to blacksmithing, were placed on the workbench, and over a dozen more were sitting in a barrel. Two barrels full of weapons, separated into swords and spears, were also on display. [Appraisal] showed me everything was iron or bronze, nothing too fancy.

"I'd love to have you working on spherical enchantments, but first, we need to get you used to your new skill and your new tool," Gregory said with a cheery smile as he produced what looked like a well-maintained tool.

If the previous one I used for etching looked like a toothpick, this was a scalpel. I gingerly held it and gave it a trickle of my mana to see how it flowed, and wow, this tool was a greedy boy as it slurped up my mana. I could see there was clearly an enchantment to aid the flow of mana and produce a sharpening effect on the tiny blade.

"Carving requires a lot more mana; after all, you'll need to be able to mark even metal! Also, I hope this goes without saying, but be careful not to lose any fingers!" Gregory said, giving a bearded grin.

"Is this a silver-steel alloy?" I asked curiously.

"Indeed, good eye! Silver, like other precious metals, is a good mana conduit, and the steel is for durability."

"Why not gold or monster parts?"

"Cost and waste mostly. At least for a [Rune Carving] tool, it would be frivolous. For [Rune Engraving], I've seen plenty of tools made from all sorts of things. Somehow, befriend and outdrink a dwarf; perhaps you can get your hands on some Orichalcum or Adamantine. I've even seen some nobles brag about one made from Mithril, a relic reforged from the Elven war. Then you get the real exotics; one of my old teachers had one made from dragon bone! Blasted thing could make the most ravishing Fire enchantments I'd ever seen but was utterly useless for everything else."

'That silver slime is sounding better and better...'

Gregory started me off by enchanting the tools with only durability. It was my first time doing the rank four version, but it came out almost perfectly. I was so used to being frugal with my mana to avoid destroying an etching that I had subconsciously held back a bit too much. My second attempt was far better, and Gregory happily claimed it was perfect. My goal was to enchant all the tools with durability. When I was halfway through the barrel, Gregory told me to swap to rank five durability.

"Remarkable..." Gregory muttered as I placed the last tool aside.

"Something wrong, Master Greg?"

"I'm shocked at how you're still standing. Bloody hell, you have easily doubled my mana capacity. I expected us to take a lunch break ages ago, but you just kept going, and I didn't want to disturb you..."

"I have a really high level in [Mana Circulation] and [Mana Well]," I explained. Holding back the truth that I had already fused [Mana Well], just in case.

"And at least twenty-five levels in an intermediate combat class..." Gregory said, tugging at his beard.

"Ten levels in Sorcerer, too," I added, as it was already part of my backstory. "Do you not have a combat class?"

"I believe almost twenty levels in Mage when I wanted to become an adventurer like every child does when they are young. Then I learned I could earn double my weekly adventurer salary in a day with enchanting! Never looked back." Gregory chuckled. "Although I'm extremely jealous of the attributes yours is clearly giving you. Maybe I should see if Mister Green will pay for me to get some Sorcerer levels."

"I didn't realize professions get fewer attributes..." I murmured, trying to recall what Tabitha had told me.

"Just how the world works, I'm afraid. It makes logical sense, though; I run out of mana and simply have to take a short break, maybe have some tea. An adventurer runs out of mana, and they might end up as monster food."

"Now, before we go and have lunch, let me quickly show you something..."

I must have frowned because Gregory chuckled in response. "Even if you can go, I'm starving, and it's not like the weapons will run away."

"Good day, Sir Dwarf. I am Gregory's [Apprentice], Sylvester." I said as politely as possible.

"Hmm... Well, aren't you polite? Keep working; don't stop on my account, lad." Thern said as he started inspecting my work extremely closely.

I felt extremely uncomfortable and even asked Alpha to stop me if I was about to make a mistake. Although, at this point, I had done so many of these, it was almost routine, even with the added pressure of another Enchanter critiquing my work other than my own teacher.

Abruptly, Thern chuckled, and I could see a sort of goofy smile beneath his bushy beard. "Well damn. Looks like I owe Greg some coin and a drink. Name's Thern; sorry for giving you the stink eye."

"Not at all. It's a pleasure to meet someone else who knows Master Greg."

"I dunno who's luckier, you or him," Thern said.

"Beg your pardon?" I asked.

"You got one of the few Enchanters I still respect in this city," Thern said, producing a small flask and taking a swig, then pointing towards my work. "Half the bastards in this place wouldn't be teaching you efficient work like this; you'd be drawing fancy squiggles that look pretty and either fade in half the time or are barely effective."

'Wow... Greg said his standards were high, but I had no idea.' I thought.

"But then he lands a fucking [Prodigy] on his doorstep. It's mind-blowing!" Thern shouted and chuckled. "Even I'd be tempted to try to get back into the trade to teach, just for the bragging rights!"

"You left?" I asked. Syl knew, but Sylvester didn't.

"Aye. Got offered a strange combat enchanter class and took it. It's a hella lot of fun, but nearly caused my parents to disown me." Thern said with a hearty grin.

I frowned. "Not that I'm not grateful for the work, but... Couldn't you do this and a better job?"

Thern laughed so loudly I thought I had said something wrong; he was practically wiping tears from his eyes. "Aye. I could do this; hell, I could Engrave it and make it permanent. But then, how would the youngins ever learn anything? Or earn their coin?"

Obviously, I didn't put the puzzle together quickly enough, so Thern promptly continued. "You definitely had a combat class before this; you don't have the crafter money mindset yet." Thern chuckled.

"It's like an unspoken agreement so the next generation has a chance. Imagine everything was permanently enchanted unless it broke. You'd struggle to find work. In this same hypothetical, imagine all the great enchanters kicking the bucket; what now? We have to start from scratch."

I nodded along, continuing to work.

"It's also great for repeat customers," Thern said, giving an exaggerated wink. "Of course, if one day you want to permanently enchant your own house or even a friend or family member, nobody is gonna come kicking down your door or anything. But... If you enchant an entire town, city, or even a district, there might be some... Consequences." He gave a toothy smirk before bellowing with laughter.

He watched me for a few more moments, then shook his head and chuckled before walking away. "Keep well, lad."

"Thank you, Mister Thern."

I was most grateful I didn't run into anyone else until I finally finished for the day.